1-2 2011 Vol. 11 December 2011

GWP develops river Calendar of Events management guidelines World Water Day GWP LATVIA AND ITS PARTNER NON GOVERN- are good swimmers. The river partially belongs to 22 March 2012 MENTAL ORGANIZATION DAUGAVAS SAVIENIBA the Natura 2000 network. There is a reserve of Water and Food Security PREPARE A GUIDELINE FOR PRACTICAL MAN- “Vitrupes ieleja” (Valley of Vitrupe). AGEMENT OF WATER STREAMS. Day The Guidelines available in Latvian language, is 22 March 2012 the fi rst attempt in the country to explain prac- Baltic Sea Region tical methods of river basin management. It ad- dresses major problems of Latvian streams such World Water Forum 6 as pollution by nitrogen and phosphorus, sedi- 12-17 March 2012 mentation, deterioration of buffer zones around Marseille, France Need for such guidance has emerged up during streams and others. implementation of a pilot project in the International Sava Day and Vitrupe River basins where several challen- 1 June 2012 ges related to ecological, hydro-chemical and Sava River Basin morphological features of rivers emerged. Danube Day Main objective of the project, implemented 29 June 2012 from period of April – November 2011, was to Danube River Basin train volunteers and carry out practical works to limit algae overgrowth, remove sediment and World Water Week in Stockholm wooden debris and improve potential spawning 26-31 August 2012 sites for salmon, sea trout and lampreys. Pro- Stockholm, Sweden ject team organized training for river managers Water and Food Security and voluntary river keepers followed by activ- ities to improve hydro-morphological and bio- logical functions of the Venta and Vitrupe Riv- • Construction of riffl e areas in rivers to increase ers. The project was implemented by company levels of oxygen proposed through innovative “L.U.Consulting” in cooperation with GWP Lat- It also provides examples of innovative yet trad- approach „Place a Stone in the Stream. via and Daugavas Savieniba. itional methods tested during previous projects • Improve structure and change use of adja- including “Place a Stone in the Stream” initia- cent landscape Venta River is a river in north-western Lithu- tive utilizing stones to mitigate climate change • Increase diversity of aquatic habitats through ania and western Latvia. Its source is near and ensure survival of aquatic species threat- installment of stone structures. Kuršėnai in the Lithuanian Šiauliai County. It ened by lack of oxygen due to higher water has a length of 346 km and fl ows into the Bal- temperature. Well placed stones slow down The guidelines gives practical tips for river man- tic Sea at in Latvia. The main salmon water fl ow and create favorable living condi- agement activities on different scales, embracing spawning and nursery habitats are situated in tions for water fauna. both low cost local activities, as well medium the middle part of the river below the waterfall scale multipurpose projects. So far, it’s not legally Ventas Rumba. The river partially belongs to EU The guideline specifi cally addresses the following: binding, however, the project team tries to make network of protected areas Natura 2000. There • Eutrophication or great increase of phyto- it unifying and science based, e.g. hydrobiology are 2 nature reserves in the river: “Ventas ieleja” plankton in streams. Negative environment- addressing a common problem of streams and (The river Venta valley) and “Ventas un Skerveļa al effects include depletion of oxygen in the small rivers overgrowth and biodiversity decline. ieleja” (The rivers Venta and Skervele valleys). water, which induces reductions in specifi c fi sh and other animal populations In the future, one of the proposals is to estab- The river Vitrupe is typical medium sized river en- • Wooden debris in streams and their manage- lish a tradition of Great Cleanup Day in April to tering the Gulf of Riga. It has a length of 36 km ment involve local people, volunteers and water man- totally accessible for salmon. The salmon and sea • Improvement of riparian zone functionality agement in cleaning local streams and raise trout spawning and nursery habitat are situated which is an interface between land and a riv- awareness on water issues.  in the lower and middle part of the river. There er or streams. are no artifi cial migration obstacles, but there is • Management of sedimentation processes. Fore more information, please contact one natural waterfall that allows for species that • Improvement of river self purifying capacity. Maris Ozolins, e-mail: [email protected] Climate change and water security nexus in

A RECENT RESEARCH HAS ESTABLISHED HOW Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007–2013. Klai- Climate change impact on groundwater was CLIMATE CHANGE COULD CONTRIBUTE TO IN- peda is the third largest city in Lithuania with estimated on the basis of two scenario’s A1B CREASE IN GROUNDWATER LEVELS OVER THE a population of 187,000 (2005 estimate), a cap- and B1 for the years 2025, 2050 and 2100. Pre- NEXT 100 YEARS IN LITHUANIA. ital of Klaipeda County, one of ten counties in dictions of precipitation and evaporation were Lithuania. It lies in the west of the country and provided using Climate and Environmental Re- The use of groundwater for public water sup- is the only county to have a coastline. It has trieval and Archive (CERA) database. Forecast ply is increasing in Europe, however, it is esti- a total area of 5,209 km2 and 378,843 inhabit- of groundwater resources changes was done mated that 60% of European cities overexploit ants (2008). using mathematical groundwater fl ow model their groundwater resources. Highest percent- elaborated by Dr Marius Gregorauskas, is based age of groundwater for drinking water is used In the study area, all potable water is ground- on correlations between values of precipita- by Lithuania (100%), closely followed by Den- water located in shallow mix of aquifers in- tion, river basins runoff in the study area and mark (98%), (93%), Hungary (90%), Poland cluding present day (Quaternary), Mesozoic groundwater recharge. Simulation results show (70%), Estonia (65%), Romania (43%), UK (35%) period (Cretaceous and Jurassic), Paleozoic that both climate change scenarios predict in- and Scandinavian countries and Ireland (15%) period (Permian) and Devonian age (Famen- crease (2025, 2050 and 2100 years) of dynamic at the end. This raises an important question of ian). Lithuanian Geological Survey estimate resources of groundwater. how climate change can potentially infl uence available groundwater resources in these aqui- recharge, availability, and quality of ground- fers at 74,000 m3/day (Quaternary), 100 m3/ “Since the main source of the groundwater re- water resources. day (Cretaceous), 1,148 m3/day (Jurassic), sources and cause of its changes is infi ltra- 8,463 m3/day (Permian) and 63,084 m3/day tion recharge into shallow groundwater, the An evaluation of climate change impact on (Famenian) respectively. There are 76 water- highest increase of resources is anticipated groundwater resources in Lithuanian Klaipeda works located in the study area. The Klaipeda in shallow groundwater aquifer”, says Jurgita County was performed in 2010 in frame of the No. 3 waterworks is the only waterworks in Kriukaite, Lithuanian Geological Survey. In the project “Climate Change: Impacts, Costs and the country extracting water from shallow A1B scenario the highest groundwater level is Adaptation in the Baltic Sea Region” (BaltCICA), groundwater. It extracts 27% of approved expected in 2025. During that time the ground- partially fi nanced by the European Union (EU) available resources. water recharge will increase from 45.7 mm/year CREDIT: GWP CEE CREDIT:

Higher levels of groundwater can fl ood low lying areas 2 to 79.6 mm/year adding to dynamic resources simulation. Available groundwater in dry per- until 2100”. On the other hand, higher levels of from 4.05 m3/s up to 5.99 m3/s. Similar growth iods will drop by 4m3/s in the shallow aquifer groundwater can make it vulnerable to pollu- of groundwater resources is anticipated in B1 and 3.8-3.6 m3/s (5-10 %) in Quaternary aqui- tion and potentially fl ood lowland areas and scenario in 2100. fers, compared with the present situation. Ac- cellars in residential houses.  cording to Jonas Satkunas, Lithuanian Geo- However, decrease of groundwater levels is also logical Survey Deputy Director, “the trend of Autors: Jurgita Kriukaite and Jonas Satkunas, expected in some years according to results of groundwater resources increase will prevail Lithuanian Geological Survey.

nership has been discussed. “Sava Water Part- GWP Central and Eastern Europe nership can join GWP network and benefi t from the membership”, proposed GWP CEE Chair Ms. at Sava Stakeholder Forum Martina Zupan.

GWP CEE AND GWP MEDITERRANEAN PARTICI- The objective of the Sava Stakeholder Forum The Sava River is the third longest tributary and PATED IN THE SAVA STAKEHOLDER FORUM OR- held on 9-10 November 2011 in Belgrade, was the largest by discharge of the Danube River. The GANIZED BY THE INTERNATIONAL SAVA RIVER to present and discuss the draft of the Sava length of the Sava from its main source in the BASIN COMMISSION. River Basin Management Plan among the af- western Slovenian mountains to its mouth at the fected stakeholders. The Plan describes the Danube in Belgrade is about 944 km. The basin, A River Basin Management Plan of the Sava Riv- present water status in the basin, identifying with an area of 97,713 km2, covers parts of Slo- er Basin is under development, the fi rst attempt signifi cant pressures and proposing measures venia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, in the Southern European region to draft a Riv- directed towards achieving the environmental Montenegro and a small part of Albania.  er Basin Management Plan according to the EU objectives of the EU Water Framework Direc- Water Framework Directive. GWP Mediterranean tive on a basin-wide scale. A more permanent and GWP Central and Eastern Europe have sig- mechanism of organizing structured participa- For more information about nifi cantly contributed to the stakeholder involve- tion of stakeholders in the management of the Sava River Basin Management Plan: ment process related to development of the Plan. Sava River Basin in the form of a Water Part- http://www.savacommission.org/srbmp/ CREDIT: GWP CEE CREDIT:

International passenger terminal on the Sava River in Belgrade, Serbia 3 When we speak about economic growth we speak about water resources

AT THE SEVENTH “ENVIRONMENT FOR EUR- knowledges that OPE” MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE IN ASTANA, for water manage- KAZAKHSTAN, GWP CONVENED A SIDE EVENT ment to be success- GWP CREDIT: TITLED, “ECONOMIC GROWTH AND WATER: AN ful it must involve ex- INTEGRATED APPROACH HELPS”. perts from outside the “water box.” Prof. GWP Chair Dr Letitia A Obeng emphasized Laszlo Miklos from the that “when we speak about the economy and Technical University of economic growth we speak about water re- Zvolen in Slovakia is a sources.” The Conference addressed two main geographer by back- themes: Sustainable management of water ground and a politician and water-related ecosystems; and Green- by experience. Having ing the economy: mainstreaming the environ- been the Minister of ment into economic development. The GWP Environment for two side event held on 23 September 2011 linked terms, and a member these two aspects: how to make water resour- of the national Parlia- ces available and yet protected when countries ment, he reminded the embark on economic development. The Con- audience of the pol- ference recognized the “hydro-centric” and itical commitments “eco-engineering” themes are closely related. made under Agenda 21, and the adoption Speakers at the GWP side event illustrated why of the principle of an water is attracting more political attention, integrated approach while highlighting water’s complexity and the to the management need for an integrated approach to guide its of land resources. use, management and development. Prof. Nari- man Kipshakbaev from GWP Kazakhstan pre- Recognizing that “in- sented their experiences of developing a Na- tegrated manage- tional Integrate Water Resources Management ment” needs to be Plan (IWRM) Plan. He made a brief summary understood, he asked, of water resources policy reform and empha- “What exactly do we sized that “there is a need to balance mul- want to integrate? Dif- tiple uses of water in a water scarce region.” ferent understandings GWP Chair Letitia A Obeng at the Seventh “Environment for Europe” Ministerial Conference He stressed the important role of newly estab- of integration resulted in Astana, Kazakhstan lished water councils, citing examples of water in a myriad of policy reforms that integrated change is likely to make essential resources councils that have a transboundary charac- institutions and agencies and administration (notably freshwater, arable land, crop yields and ter, for instance in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. but not the planning process itself.” He recom- fi sh stocks) scarcer in many parts of the world, mended making land use plans the legal, ob- particularly in already vulnerable societies. GWP Georgia Chair Ms Nino Chkhobadze looked ligatory framework for each sectoral plan be- at role of civil society and non-government- cause how we use land takes into account “Increased scarcity increases the risk of compe- al organizations in support of water reform in every sector including water management. tition over resources within and between com- the Caucasus. “It is not well understood the munities and states,” she said. “This can create role NGOs play in supporting governments to Prof. Lu ka Kajfež Bogataj, winner of the Nobel instability, increasing vulnerability to confl ict. develop and implement river basin manage- Peace Prize together with other climatologists, On current projections, substantial parts of the ment plans,” said Ms Nino Chkhobadze, who looked at climate change from a national and world risk being left uninhabitable by rising sea was Georgia’s Minister of Environment for eight international security point of view rather than levels, reduced freshwater availability and de- years. “Involvement of society is understood as from the environmental perspective. A number clining agricultural capacity. This will exacerbate the right of people to be informed, but participa- of studies suggest that the worst effects can existing migratory pressures from rural areas to tion in decision making is moved aside.” She said be avoided by keeping global temperature rise cities, from unproductive land to more fertile that stakeholders and the public ensure positive below 2°C. However, Prof. Bogataj said that if land, and across international borders.”  results when they participate in processes that current problems are not solved, they will be introduce Integrated Water Resources Manage- aggravated regardless of mathematical scenar- Source: GWP Blog ment principles at local level, and subsequent- ios that predict a temperature rise. She showed http://globalwaterpartnership.wordpress.com/ ly, better acceptance of future investments. the participants the map of continents origin- ally developed by the Ministry of Defense to For more information and presentations: GWP invited speakers that do not belong dir- illustrate, in graphic terms, the security chal- http://www.slideshare.net/ ectly to the “water family” because GWP ac- lenges posed by a warming planet. Climate gwpceewaterpartnership/presentations 4 Kaliningrad takes up water issues A NEW REPORT HAS BEEN LAUNCHED ON together with neighboring states that share IMPROVING WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT river basins and coastal lagoons in Poland and IN KALININGRAD, RUSSIA. Lithuania. Transboundary planning and invest- ment programs could be coordinated and im- The report, “Managing and Development of the plemented with support from external fi nan- Water Resources Assets in Kaliningrad Oblast, cing agencies. Russia in Support of Economic Growth and En- vironmental Sustainability”, was published by Experiences of Lithuania and Poland in the im- the Stockholm International Water Institute plementation of an integrated approach and (SIWI) who prepared the report with contribu- EU Water Framework Directive, offer options to tions from the Global Water Partnership (GWP) work in a partnership for joint management and and its Country Water Partnerships in Poland and development plans for the transboundary Pre- Lithuania. Support also came from the Northern gola and Neman River Basins. “We cannot de- Dimension Foundation, the Russian Academy of velop a comprehensive Nemunas (Neman) Riv- Sciences, and the Swedish River Basin District er Basin District Management Plan without the Authority for the Northern Baltic Sea. involvement of the Kaliningrad Oblast,” said Dr. Bernardas Paukstys, Chair of GWP Lithuania, ac- The report was presented to the Vice Govern- knowledging the fact that water has no borders. water resources and the hydraulic infrastruc- or of the Kaliningrad Oblast at a workshop at- ture assets are in poor condition. GWP is in- tended by 36 stakeholders who have an interest The Kaliningrad Oblast is a territory of Russia volved in developing a Water Resources Invest- in water resources in Kaliningrad. The discus- situated on the Baltic coast between Lithuania ment Program for the Kaliningrad Oblast.  sion at the workshop highlighted a strong in- and Poland and not contiguous with the Rus- terest to start a water resources management sian mainland, with a population of 941,500. Autors: Jurgita Kriukaite and Jonas Satkunas, programme with transboundary dimensions Kaliningrad has a rich natural landscape but its Lithuanian Geological Survey. Knowledge sharing between Baltic and Danube

GWP HUNGARY AND GWP CEE ORGANIZED A KNOWLEDGE-SHARING WORKSHOP ON “WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT ASPECTS OF EUROPEAN UNION STRATEGIES FOR BALTIC GWP CEE CREDIT: SEA AND DANUBE BASIN REGIONS”.

The focus was on sharing experiences and exper- tise from the implementation of the Baltic Sea Strategy. During the workshop held in Budapest on 5 April 2011, experts identifi ed similarities and differences concerning water management issues and discussed implementation mechan- isms and institutional roles such as selection of projects and partnerships in the Danube Region.

The Baltic Sea Strategy was formally adopted in October 2009 under the Swedish Presidency of the European Union (EU). In December 2010, the European Commission adopted the Parallels workshop attracted more than 40 participants from Baltic and Danube Regions EU Strategy for the Danube Region following a Martina Zupan, GWP CEE Chair. GWP CEE, with Concrete examples of activities include fi nan- request from member states. its unique geographical position covering parts cing of regional strategies in non-EU member of the Baltic and Danube provides a neutral countries and the exchange of best practices “GWP CEE has been advocating principles of in- platform for dialogues and exchange of experi- between the Baltic and Danube countries. GWP tegrated water resources management in the ences. It holds an observer status to two inter- CEE projects in the area of fl oods and droughts Baltic and Danube regions since 1998 and is national water commissions in the region – the as well as sustainable sanitation may be sub- well suited to provide a platform for discussions International Commission for the Protection of mitted for funding.  shaping future of water for years to come,” said the Danube River and the Helsinki Commission. 5 Danube Art Master 2011: wins the competition with creative masterpiece

GERMAN CHILDREN HAVE WON THE „INTER- NATIONAL DANUBE ART MASTER 2011“ COMPE- TITION, AS THE INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION CREDIT: G2 FOTO CREDIT: FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE DANUBE RIVER (ICPDR) ANNOUNCED ON 25 SEPTEMBER 2011.

The International Danube Art Master is select- ed from the winners of the national ‘Danube Art Master’ competitions in 14 Danube Basin countries - Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Montenegro, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine. Thousands of children from these 14 countries entered the competition. National Danube Art Master winners at the award ceremony “This competition is a key element of the annual The winning submission was created by 11 Danube Day celebration and transcends nation- German school children from class 5G of the al borders, emphasizing the complexity of the Sonderpädagogisches Förderzentrum Neutrau- Danube and its connections to land, animals, bling. Their artistic painting, entitled “Our Dan- forests and people,” said Philip Weller, Executive ube – a river as variously as we” is creatively Secretary of the ICPDR. Children were encour- made from colourful patterns and full of refer- aged to visit local rivers and surrounding areas ences to nature. It represents an appeal to “get and to consider what the environment means active for the rivers”, the offi cial slogan of Dan- to them. They were then asked to refl ect their ube Day 2011. Excursion at the Danube Museum in Esztergom, Hungary thoughts and inspirations through environ- mental art using materials from in and around the river.

CREDIT: ICPDRCREDIT: The competition was G2 FOTO CREDIT: jointly organized by the ICPDR in cooperation with the Global Water Partnership Central and Eastern Eur- ope (GWPCEE). The award ceremony in Buda- pest was attended by the national Danube Art Master winners and their accompanying per- sons. After the ceremony, the winners joined a three-day environmental programme, sup- ported by Coca-Cola and organized by the Global Water Partnership Hungary, which included trips to the surroundings of Buda- pest and the Danube bend, Budapest Zoo and the Danube Museum. Since two children per country are allowed to attend this trip, the winning team is represented by Selina Glas and Adrian Langner. 

For more information: http://www.danubeday.org

Best art work “Our Danube, a river as variously as we” by students of Secondary School Förderzentrum Neutraubling, Germany 6 Danube Art Master 2012 GET INVOLVED IN DANUBE DAY, HELP SECURE be invited to take part in the internation-on- A POSITIVE FUTURE FOR THE DANUBE AND WIN al competition. The creators of the bestest GREAT PRIZES! piece of work will be crowned ‘Danubebe Art Master’ and will be rewarded withth prizes for themselves and more prizeses for the school, day centre or other groupup that they are part of – such as labora-- tory test kits for their school, under-- water cameras and other water-relat-- ed treats.

To take part, arrange your school to Danube Art Master is opened to children aged refl ect on rivers and water bodies and International 6 to 16 from a school, NGO, day care centre or ideally make an outing to the Danube Competition association in the Danube Basin to create their River or one of its tributaries before own ‘environmental art’ inspired by the mighty the end of June 2012. The idea is for Danube and its tributaries. Every year, this am- students to be inspired by what they Danube bitious 14-country competition jointly or- see and use materials found by the ganized by the GWP Central and Eastern Eur- river to create works of art, prefer- Art Master ope and the International Commission for the ably directly along its banks. This Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) unites could mean sculptures, pictures, thousands of children from across the Danube mosaics or collages made from ma- 2012 River Basin. terial such as driftwood, stones or even rubbish dumped by the river. To enter, take Germany, Hungary, Moldova, The competition comprises two levels: national a color photograph of your art and send it to Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slo- and international. The former is carried out in the competition organisers in your country by venia and Ukraine.  each country and national winners selected to post (prints) or e-mail (digital). receive prizes. National prizes vary from coun- For more information visit try to country, so please contact your country’s Eligible countries are Austria, Bosnia and Her- http://www.danubeday.org or contact Richard Müller, organizer for details. The national winners will zegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, GWP CEE Secretariat, at [email protected] GWP contributes to UN Economic Commission for Europe transboundary process THE ASSESSMENT OF TRANSBOUNDARY The second Assessment is an important part of due to the same requirements of the EU Water WATER COOPERATION IN CENTRAL AND WEST- the programme of work for 2010-2012 of the Framework Directive, which is a good signal ERN EUROPE WAS THE TOPIC OF A SUB- Convention on the Protection and Use of Trans- for future potential planning”, Dr Danka Thal- REGIONAL WORKSHOP. boundary Watercourses and International Lakes meinerova said. “However, most of the presen- (Water Convention). It has an ambition to pro- tations were fragmented and did not capture Ministry of Rural Development of Hungary, vide a conclusive picture of the state of trans- a “transboundary” dimension of the assessed and the United Nations Economic Commission boundary waters and to identify joint priorities basins. Country representatives did separate for Europe (UNECE) in cooperation with the and challenges. It wants to stimulate further ac- presentations of the same (transboundary) International Water Assessment Centre (IWAC) tion by governments, river basin organizations, groundwater body.” organized the workshop in Budapest on 8-10 the international community, including donors, February 2011. and relevant non-governmental organizations. She continued: “Although there is progress in cooperation at transboundary basins regarding The workshop was an important step in the More than 50 participants from nine countries the exchange of monitoring data, alert and pre- process of preparations of the second As- of West and Central Europe, the EU Commis- vention systems, there is a lack of coordinated sessment of Transboundary Rivers, Lakes and sion, UN organizations, NGOs and specialized planning, implementing and assessment of im- Ground waters in the UNECE region for the institutes discussed common issues for trans- pact at transboundary basins. It was concluded Seventh Ministerial Conference Environment boundary water management, such as diffuse that international agreements including the EU for Europe in September. GWP representa- pollution and land use, ecosystems approach Water Framework Directive are worthy gestures tives were Regional Chair Martina Zupan, and ecosystem services. and expression of political will, but that the im- Regional Council Member Boris Minarik and plementation of programs will need to hap- Knowledge Management Offi cer Danka Thal- “Most of the discussion focused on monitoring pen at national levels with limited coordination meinerova. systems that become to be more compatible with neighbourhood countries.”  7 GWP Slovakia launches sustainable sanitation study

GWP SLOVAKIA LAUNCHES A NEW STUDY ON rate in Michalove District was more than 23% up waste water. It is a good solution for small POSSIBILITIES OF ALTERNATIVE WASTE WATER (June 2011 data). compact settlements with very short collection COLLECTION AND TREATMENT IN EASTERN SLO- system (pipes) which are the most expensive VAKIA. Nature Reserve Senianske Ponds, situated in the part of the waster water treatment system. middle of the study area, was founded in 1955 The study complements UNDP project “Inte- to protect water fowl and unique water plants. Expert team comprising Igor Bodik from Technic- gration of principles and methods of ecologic- It is also international wetland site under Ram- al University in Bratislava, Elena Fatulova, water al management of Eastern Slovakia Lowlands” saar Convention and a part of EU wide network management consultant and Milan Matuska, and especially Black Water River Basin Manage- of protected areas NATURA 2000. GWP Central and Eastern Europe short-listed ment Plan. seven villages (Blatná Polianka, Blatné Remety, Alternative waste water treatment plants are Bunkovce, Senné, Stretava, Stretávka and Veľké There are 28 small villages (bellow 2,000 in- various reed bed, soil and sand fi lters, willow Revištia) where alternative plant is feasible from habitants) with 11,589 people in the area which fi elds and other natural methods of cleaning technical and economic point of view. was in the past heavily drained to support agri- waste water from households and especially culture production and prevent fl ooding. Main nutrients. In reality, these are rarely used due Next step would be to secure funding for pilot water course is Black Water a tributary to the to low awareness, legislation and permitting plant to demonstrate feasibility of the technol- Uh River, fl owing from one of the largest water obstacles. Depending on local conditions, they ogy. GWP CEE has been working on sustainable reservoirs in the country, Zemplínska Šírava. can have lower construction and operational sanitation since 2007 and since then facilitated In terms of economic and social development, costs in comparison with traditional biological several regional and local initiates to advance Eastern Slovakia is not reaching 50% of EU activation systems. However, they require quite alternative waste water treatment for the bene- average in GDP per capita and unemployment large areas for fast growing plants used to clean fi t of the people and nature.  CREDIT: GWP CEE CREDIT:

Reed beds are used as a method of removing pollutants from waste water

Volume 11, Issue No. 1-2/2011, December 2011 Water Talk is the offi cial newsletter of GWP CEE Regional Water Partnership published twice a year. The views and opinions of authors expressed in this issue of Water Talk do not necessarily refl ect the views and opinions of GWP CEE. Publisher: GWP CEE, Editor: Richard Müller, Layout: TYPOCON, Ltd. Registration No: EV 1796/08 ISSN: 1336-5525

GWP CEE, c/o Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute, Jeseniova 17, 833 15 Bratislava, Slovakia, phone: +421 2 5941 5294, fax: +421 2 5941 5273, e-mail: [email protected], http://www.gwpceeforum.org 8